Not Without My Child
by IStoleYourJuice
Summary: The three greatest heroes in Ferelden's recent history have earned their happiness and a life of peace. But there are those who would see that happiness snatched away, and after what they cherish most is taken from them, they must team up and face one last adventure together. Old enemies will try to destroy them, old friends will aid them. Can they save those they love most?
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hey everyone! So I have had this idea floating around in the abyss of my mind for a while and finally decided to put it into words. The rating is T as of now but that may change so stay tuned. This is just kind of the prologue so the story will start picking up after this. **

* * *

There were many things that people said of the Kingdom of Thedas, but one thing that could not be disputed was that the country of Ferelden was resilient. In the last twenty years it had survived blights, rebellions, civil war, uprisings and near obliteration by the breach. Yet the Kingdom remained intact. Scarred and a little worse for wear, but alive and intact. Those who had lived through all of these events often said they had seen more in their lifetime than most see in four lifetimes. Indeed the inhabitants of Ferelden were even more resilient than the country itself. No matter what was thrown at them, the people found a way to come together and rebuild, starting over and adapting whenever the time called for it.

When people think back over the various events that had unfolded in the last couple of decades, nobody could tell the story of their survival without mentioning three iconic names: Aedan Cousland, Garret Hawke and Rasler Trevelyan. Between these three men they had saved more lives than anyone could count, and each surviving resident of Ferelden owed them their lives. They had faced impossible odds and despite everything, they had each individually secured Ferelden's future and now they had become household names.

But despite all of their accomplishments, all the wars they had fought and the victories they had seen, at the end of it all they were just men. They were men who had earned their rest and after years of fighting battles both on and off the battlefield, it appeared that they would be finally be granted the peace and comfort they had all sorely needed.

Aedan Cousland had married Leliana after many long happy years of being together. Many had thought that the day would never come when the two of them would be married, after the Hero of Ferelden had disappeared for several years after the blight, many wondered if he would ever be heard from again. The wedding had drawn every noble from Thedas and the celebration was one that could have rivaled King Alistair's and Queen Anora's. Their first child, a daughter named Ember, was born a year later and there were rumors that Aedan had cried the first time he held his infant daughter in his arms.

Garret Hawke and his Pirate Queen Isabela were still together, which surprised everyone. The two had never married, which surprised no one. The two of them seemed perfectly content to a life without marriage even after they had unexpectedly had a son. It was hard to tell who was more surprised at this development; Isabela, Hawke or the rest of Thedas. Nobody could have predicted that these two would ever reproduce, but they had proven to be adapt parents and little Raedar was a happy and spirited little boy who was the spitting image of his father.

Rasler Trevelyan had married Josephine Montilyet not long after the breach had been closed and Corypheus had been destroyed. Nobody could have predicted that these two houses would come together, but anyone who knew them could see that they were made for each other. Their first child Aria was approaching fourteen years of age and Josephine had recently announced that she was expecting another in the winter. Rasler was easily the proudest father that anyone had ever seen and the way he looked at Josephine was the envy of every wife in Skyhold.

The three heroes and their families had settled in Skyhold and it seemed that they had finally reached the happiness and peace that they so desperately deserved.

* * *

A cool breeze blew through the midnight air in the surrounding area of Skyhold. The mountainous air was chilled and a huddled figure clutched their black cloak closer to their body. They had been in this position since nightfall, hidden in the shadows of the various rocks and bushes that covered the mountains outside of Skyhold. The hood of the cloak was pulled low over their face, making it impossible to make out any features, but the form fitting cloak suggested that the figure was female.

She stared unmoving towards the massive fortress. Soldiers patrolled the battlements, unaware of her presence or the presence of the other figures strategically placed throughout the area. They were completely hidden by the shadows the night provided, and they would remain hidden until the signal came. This was a night that had been carefully planned out down to the last detail. In fact, several years of planning had gone into this night. Each painstaking detail, each move carefully thought out and each detail gone over with every scenario planned and re-planned. Now, it had finally come and she was not about to ruin all of their planning by becoming careless and making a mistake. One stupid move, one misplaced detail and the whole plan would fall apart.

A large black crow landed on the rock in front of her, a small piece of parchment attached to its leg. She carefully removed the letter and reached out and grab the bird, stroking it gently before quickly and painlessly snapping its neck. She placed the carcass on the rock and turned her attention to the parchment. She unfolded the paper and read the carefully scrawled note written inside.

_Now. _

She placed her hand to her mouth and gave two loud yells, sounding very similar to that of a crow. Several similar sounds answered her and without hesitating another second she began making her way silently down the mountain side towards the Keep.

She felt her adrenaline rising with each step she took, her heart beating loudly in her ears. But it was too late to turn back now. After so many years of planning, she was finally at the moment she had planned for. At last she would have her revenge.


	2. Chapter 2

Aedan Cousland stepped onto the battlements of Skyhold and breathed in the fresh mountain air. The sun was beginning to set, casting shadows around the keep and turning the sky a brilliant shade of orange. The summer months were coming to an end and a slight chill in the air held the promise that fall was just around the corner. The residents of Skyhold had been busy all day preparing for the arrival of King Alistair the following day, and everyone was hurrying to finish the last minute preparations.

It was days like these that he was reminded of his home back in Highever, when he would walk the castle walls looking out at the landscape with his brother, while their father talked to them of the past, and their future.

Fergus was destined to inherit Highever and all of its responsibility, and Aedan was only too happy to step aside and leave him to it. That did not mean that Aedan was not expected to live a life free of duty to his house however. Aedan had been trained as a warrior from the time he was old enough to hold a sword, and when the time came he would be expected to take his place at the head of Highever's army.

Aedan and Fergus stood on either side of their father as he spoke to them about responsibility, not only to their family but to their people as well.

"We must always remember that the power we hold must never to be used to hurt others. It is our responsibility to care for our family as well as our people. They look to us to protect them and provide for them, no differently than that of any other family. There will come a day when I will no longer able to continue my duties as Teryn, and on that day our people will look to you boys to continue to care for them. I hope that you give those under your charge no less than your all."

Little did Teryn Cousland know, that just two short years later, that would be just what would happen. His parent's last words to him still haunted Aedan.

_Goodbye Darling..._

_You do us both proud..._

Aedan leaned against the battlements of Skyhold and closed his eyes as a soft breeze blew against his still youthful looking face. Twenty-three years had past since that night, and Aedan still wasn't sure if he had lived up to his parent's expectations of him. He was known throughout Thedas as the "Hero of Ferelden" and had saved an entire kingdom from a blight, but he couldn't be a hero when it counted, he couldn't save his family.

Fergus was the current Teryn of Highever and had proven to be an adept leader. Aedan felt an unspoken amount of guilt when he thought of his brother left to run the castle alone. He had even written to him asking Fergus to allow Aedan to help him in whatever way he could. Fergus had replied that his duties were to Highever and Aedan's duties now belonged to his family. Fergus had even ordered him to remain with his family and under no circumstances would be return to Highever without being accompanied by his family. Aedan still had a hard time thinking of himself as a father, and often found himself wishing that his own father were still here to offer him advice.

Ember Cousland had just passed her fifth name day, and as Aedan watched her as she excitedly received one gift after another, he found himself wondering where the time had gone. He still remembered the feeling he had when he first held her in his arms when she was just minutes old. He had gently kissed her head as tears rolled down his face and he knew that despite all of his achievements and titles, this was his greatest accomplishment.

"Papa!"

Aedan couldn't help but smile as he heard his daughter's voice. He turned around and saw his small daughter running toward him at full speed. He scooped her into his arms and she tightly hugged him around his neck. She giggled as he kissed her cheek, the stubble on his face tickling her cheek. Aedan was convinced that she was looking more and more liker her mother everyday. He shoulder length hair was the same shade of red as her mothers and her eyes were the same shade of blue that still made Aeden lose his train of thought when he looked at Leliana. Ember even had the same disapproving stare that Leliana so often gave to Aedan when his humor failed to amuse her.

"What's the hurry, Pup?" He said, using the same nickname that his father had called him by in his youth. "You know your mother hates it when you run on the battlements."

"Yes, but _you _don't Papa, and Mama isn't here."

"Is that so?" Came Leliana's voice from behind them making them both jump.

"Maker, I hate it when you do that." Aedan said.

"Darling how many times have I told you, no matter how desperate your escape attempts are, there is no place in Thedas where I won't find you."

"And tell me," Aedan said eyeing his daughter "what has your mother demanded of you that is so terrible that you wish to flee the castle?"

"A bath!" Ember whined loudly. "I just took a bath yesterday!"

"And if I let your bathing habits go any longer than that you will begin to smell worse than Iron Bull."

"Does that mean I can sleep in the stables with the horses like Bull does when he drinks the juice that Oghren brings?" Ember asked excitedly.

Leliana looked to Aedan expectantly. "Feel free to step in whenever the desire takes hold."

Aedan rubbed his chain thoughtfully. "Tell you what, Pup. If you promise to submit to your mother's demanding bathing requests, then I promise to bring you along the next time I go to Denerim."

Ember's eyes lit up the way they always did when she was promised with a trip outside Skyhold's walls.

"You swear?" She asked, holding up her little finger.

"I swear." He said, grasping her little finger in his.

"Bribery was not exactly what I had in mind, Darling." Leliana said with a slight smirk on her face.

"What?" Aedan said shrugging his shoulders. "Hawke has to pay his son to take a bath. Besides, I wouldn't call it bribery, more like negotiating."

"Well, I suggest you take your daughter inside before you have to _negotiate _sleeping in our bed rather than the stables tonight."

"How come everyone else gets to sleep in the stables?" Ember whined as Aedan carried her towards the stairwell.

Leliana turned to follow them inside the keep, but paused as something in the courtyard below caught her attention. A hooded figure stood in the shadows of a large oak tree in the courtyard. To anyone else it would be almost impossible to see from this distance, but Leliana's eyes were trained to spot anything out of the ordinary, no matter how obscure. As she stood staring at the figure, she had a sense that whoever it was was staring right back at her and the thought sent a chill up her spine.

"Something wrong Love?" Aedan called from the doorway.

Leliana took her eyes off the figure for only a fraction of a second, but that was all the time the stranger needed; when she looked back the figure had vanished. Leliana did a quick sweep of the area but could not find a trace of the stranger.

"Leliana?"

Aedan's concerned voice brought her back to reality and she turned back to him offering a small smile. "It's nothing. I will meet you inside, I just want to enjoy the fresh air a bit longer." Aedan raised an eyebrow but nodded his head and disappeared into the depths of the keep. She felt a slight pang of guilt but pushed it away, there was no sense in alarming him when she wasn't even sure there was cause for alarm yet. Nevertheless, she would consult with Cullen about adding more soldiers to the night watch over the next few nights, if only for her own peace of mind.

* * *

It was well past midnight and the residents of Skyhold had long ago gone to bed. The keep was silent, with only the occasional sound of a wild animal echoing in the night. The night was peaceful, but no matter how she tried, Leliana could not find the sleep that eluded her. She and Aedan had retired several hours earlier, and even after their enthusiastic love making that had left them both exhausted, she still could not relax enough to fall asleep. She could not shake the unsettling feeling that she had been left with after seeing the mysterious figure in the courtyard.

She had to stop herself several times from awakening Aedan and voicing her concerns. It was not that she was was worried that he would dismiss her concerns, she was more concerned that he would be sent into a panic and _over_ _react _to the situation. He was fiercely protective over his family, and who could blame him? She had met this man right after he had witnessed the murder of his family. He had been a broken shell of a man, and it had taken her a great deal of effort to break past his walls. She thought back to the night she had finally broken past his walls and she saw his fear and vulnerability.

They had just left Redcliffe castle, after several hours of arguing about what to do about the then possessed Connor. Their party was divided on how to go about the situation, half of them seemed to think it was best to simply execute the boy and be done with it. The other half, Leliana included, thought that killing a child was out of the question.

"Enough!" Aedan shouted.

"We will seek out the mages. The tower is only a day's journey from here and if there is a chance to avoid further bloodshed then we will take it."

Morrigan began to protest but a look from Aedan had silenced her. None of them had ever seen him take charge in this way. They had all accepted him as their unspoken leader, yet he had never been so assertive when it came to making decisions.

The next day they traveled in silence, but rather it was from exhaustion or tension, nobody could say for sure. The sun had fully set before they finally made camp, all of them grateful for the chance to rest. Morrigan wandered off to find her own area as usual and Alistair busied himself with making a fire. Sten had wandered off in search of fire wood and Zevran had somehow managed to pitch his tent up within minutes and had disappeared inside.

Her eyes wandered to Aedan, as they so often seemed to do and her face fell slightly. His shoulders were hunched over in exhaustion and the dark circles under his eyes told her that he had slept even less than the rest of them had, which was to say, none. Even his Mabari hound Mathias seemed to be feeling the effects of his master's state, and curled up at Aedan's feet, his eyes closing heavily.

Aedan dumped the rest of the water from his canteen over his head and rubbed his eyes furiously. He shook his head and water flew everywhere, including the area where Alistair was attempting to start a fire.

"Hey, watch it!" Alistair protested loudly.

Aedan offered a small smile. "It's just a little water. What will happen if you are required to light a fire in a rainstorm?"

"I was just planning on pissing off Morrigan enough to shoot a fire bolt at me and stand where we want the fire to be."

"As long as you have a plan." Aedan said stretching. "We'll take first watch. The rest of you draw straws or duel or whatever for next watch and come get us at midnight." Mathias rose to his feet and followed his master as he disappeared through the trees."

Leliana watched them leave and wondered if she should offer to take watch with him. She shook her head and sighed knowing that he would insist that she get some rest. She busied herself with setting up her tent and as she lay on her bedroll the exhaustion she had felt from the previous two days seemed to vanish and she soon found herself lost in her thoughts.

Several hours past and Leliana soon gave up any hope of sleep. She grabbed her bow and her cloak and exited her tent, if she was not going to find sleep she might as well put her insomnia to good use. And she couldn't lie, the idea of spending a few rare moments alone with Aedan was not at all unappealing. The fire was burning low and the rest of the party seemed to have retired. Leliana headed to the line of trees that Aedan had disappeared behind several hours earlier. It took only a few moments to find Aedan and his faithful war hound. They were sitting by a small river, and Aedan was skipping rocks across the water.

Mathias' ears perked up as she approached and he sat up and gave her a small bark in greeting. Aedan turned around and gave a small smile that seemed to take all of his remaining energy.

"Couldn't sleep?" He asked as she came and sat next to him.

She shook her head and wrapped her cloak tighter around her shoulders. "It's strange, it's almost as if I am too tired to sleep."

Aedan nodded in understanding and she found herself wishing she hadn't spoken. No matter how tired she was, it was nowhere near what this man must be feeling. They sat in silence for several minutes, neither one of them knowing what to say. What kind of a bard was she that she could not even make simple conversation? She tried to blame on the exhaustion they were both feeling, but she knew that there was more to it than that. Making small talk around Aedan seemed to be getting more difficult by the day. Thankfully it was Aedan who broke the silence first.

"I wanted to thank you, for standing by me back at Redcliffe. The others are right, it would be easier to simply kill Connor and be done with it. But it was comforting to have someone stand by decision."

Leliana was slightly taken aback but offered a small smile. "For what it's worth, I think you are doing the right thing."

"I hope so."

Aedan sighed and ran his hand through his short straw colored hair.

"Is everything okay?" Leliana asked with genuine concern.

"I'm just, very tired. I feel like my life has been one very long day these past few months. I can no longer tell what's real and what's been a dream, and I worry that it affects my ability to lead, that the decisions I make are for the wrong reasons."

"You worry that you are trying to save the life of a young boy for the wrong reasons?" Leliana asked slightly confused.

Aedan was silent for a few moments, and Leliana wondered if he was going to answer at all. Aedan looked at her and she felt a rush of sadness as she noticed for the first time how much older he looked than his twenty years.

"Have you heard of the Couslands of Highever?"

Leliana nodded. "Teryn Cousland is one of only two Teryns in all of Ferelden is he not?"

"He was. He was also my father."

Leliana felt her eyebrows raise in surprise. "You are the last of the Couslands?"

Aedan gave a stiff nod. "I'm not sure how much the name means anymore, but yes. My father was the Teryn of Highever, until Arl Howe betrayed my family and murdered them in cold blood. It wasn't just my parents; it was the servants, the soldiers, even the ancient cook. Nobody was left standing."

Leliana listened in horrified silence to Aedan's story. She knew that he was from a noble family, but she had assumed it was a small family who owned a small bit of land. She had no idea that he was from one of the most prominent families in recent history.

"My nephew, Oren" Aedan continued "he was only six years old. What kind of a monster slaughters an innocent child? I held him while he took his final breath, his eyes were begging me to help him and I couldn't. I couldn't save my my family, I couldn't save my brother's family."

Leliana felt silent tears rolling down her face as she listened. The man sitting next to her had had his entire life ripped away from him, and now he had been charged with saving a kingdom who had condemned him.

"I know the pain of losing your family. I can't stand by and let a family be ripped apart, I can't allow a mother to bury her child and deny a child a chance at life at in this fucked up world. I worry that my decisions are fueled by my own anger and failure. I worry that my past is clouding my judgement, and I will take the option I think is right rather than the most logical and beneficial to everyone."

That was the moment Leliana felt her feelings for him change. Here was a man who had suffered in a way that most people could not even imagine, yet he was concerned for the well being of those around him. He was not concerned for what was going to benefit him, but all of those who depended on him.

Leliana rested a reassuring hand on his arm and a small chill rose up her spine that had nothing to do with the cold.

"I do not know what the Maker has in store for us. But I have faith in Him, and I have faith in you. I truly believe that he led me to you, and I will always stand by you."

And she had always stood by that promise, and now even after so may years, Leliana found that it was the best decision that she had ever made. She had never felt more secure, more protected and more loved than she did when she was with him. She had never imagined herself having a family before him, but now she could not imagine her life any other way.

But the memory of the previous evening and the unidentified stranger still haunted her, and she knew that if she did not check on Ember she would find no sleep this night.

Leliana untangled herself from Aedan's arms and gently kissed him on the forehead. He smiled slightly in his sleep and her heart swelled. After all that they had been through it was almost overwhelming to think that they had finally found happiness and love with each other. She slowly got up from the bed and quietly dressed her self before slipping silently from their quarters into the deserted hallway.

The torches lining the wall were burning low, casting long shadows along the hallway giving an almost forboding atmosphere. She turned down the hallway to her left and stopped in front of Ember's quarters. She suddenly felt a sickening feeling in her stomach and her heart began racing at an unnatural speed. She took several deep breaths to try and calm herself.

_Why are you so nervous?_ She scolded herself. _She is fine. _Despite her attempts to reassure herself, her palm was noticeably damp as she reached for the doorknob and slowly pushed the door open.

It took only moments for her eyes to assess the situation. Ember's bed, empty. The large window overlooking the courtyard, open. The wind blew through the open window causing the silk curtains to blow in the air like a ghost. The small doll that Leliana had bought Ember on her last name day that she now insisted on sleeping with every night was laying fade down in the middle of the floor.

_Gone..._

Leliana felt her breath catch in her chest. She walked almost in a trance to the doll and picked it up silently.

_Gone..._

* * *

A horrified scream echoed throughout the castle halls, jolting Aedan awake. It took only seconds for him to dress and exit the room upon seeing Leliana's absence. His sword was gripped firmly in his hand as he ran the length of the hallway towards the commotion.

His heart dropped when he saw his daughters door open and he suddenly had flashback to Highever. He silently sent up a prayer to the Maker that he would not find his worst nightmare in the next room. He held his breath and entered the door and surveyed the scene before him.

Leliana was on her knees hunched over and hugging herself tightly. The window was open and Aedan shivered with a chill that had nothing to do with the cold.

"Leliana?" Aedan said in a voice he did not recognize as his own.

Leliana turned to look at her husband, tears flowing down her face. "She's gone."

The sword Aedan was holding fell to the floor with a loud clatter. He silently crossed the room and knelt down next to his wife. She threw herself into his arms and he buried his face in her hair and tried to think of something, anything, to comfort her. But the words wouldn't come, and for the second time in his life he was powerless to help his family. For the second time in his life, the thing that he loved most was wrenched away from him.

This time, however, it would not end the same way. He would find a way to bring his daughter back, even if he had to face the Maker Himself.

"We'll find her." He said, not sure if he was reassuring Leliana or himself more.

"We'll find her."


	3. Chapter 3

Isabela wasn't sure how long she had been sitting on her son's bed in the darkness. She could hear shouting coming from the main hall down below and she knew that the entire castle was in an uproar about not only how this could have happened, but what was going to be done about it. The pirate side of her was screaming at her to go down and voice her opinion, to burn every village from Skyhold to Nevarra until they found the missing children. But the other side of her, the side that was currently winning her internal battle, told her to sit and mourn.

Raedar, her son, one of two things in recent memory that she could recall caring about, had been taken from her. She had always had a rule: If anyone had the audacity to steal from her, the punishment she dealt would be in accordance to the value of the stolen item. The more valuable the item, the more severe the consequences. But now, the most valuable thing she had ever possessed had been taken from her in the dead of night, and all she could do was sit on her son's bed and hold his stuffed bear that he had carried around since he was old enough to walk.

She had been awoken several hours earlier by a scream that had made her blood run cold. She was up and out of the room before Hawke had even opened his eyes, running through the hallways towards the source of the scream. It had taken her only a few short moments to find the cause of the commotion and she felt a chill run down her spine as she surveyed the scene. Leliana and Aedan on floor of their daughter's room. Leliana crying into Aedan's shoulders. The window to the room left wide open. Ember's bed: empty.

Isabela felt her breath catch in her chest and she turned on her heel and began running towards her son's room. She had never prayed in her life, but now she was sending up prayers to whoever or whatever would listen that she wold find her son safe in his room. She did not bother with tact and barged into her son's room, making the door shake on its hinges. She surveyed the scene and felt as if she had walked into a nightmare.

The scene was similar to that of the one she had just left; window left wide open, empty bed, occupant of the room missing. A small spot on her son's bed caught her eye and she came closer to investigate further. She felt the color drain from her face as she realized that it was blood. She fell to her knees in front of her son's bed and gripped the sheets in her hands.

She had not cried since she was a small child, but now her eyes were stinging and tears were freely flowing down her face. The greatest treasure she had ever acquired had been taken from her and she was helpless to stop it. The last five years of her life floated through her mind in a blur, one bittersweet memory floating into the next in the sea of emotion that even she could not master.

She distinctly remembered the moment she had discovered she was pregnant, and it was harder to tell who was more horrified at the idea; her or Hawke. It was the first time that she had ever seen Hawke speechless, and had she not been in a similar state of shock, she would have found the expression on his face comical.

"Pregnant?" He squeaked out.

"Pregnant." She said in a voice slightly above a whisper.

"As in there's a child, inside you?"

"Do you know of another use of the word?" She snapped.

Hawke stood up straight an adopted an air of arrogance "How do you know it's m-"

"Hawke!"

That infuriating smile that Isabela both loathed and adored came across his face and she was suddenly wondering if the horror she had first experienced was just a momentary lapse in judgement. But who was she kidding? She was not fit to be a mother! Her motherly instincts were buried somewhere in Antiva with the royal jewels she had stolen when she was seventeen. She had no reference point as to how a mother was supposed to act in front of her child, so how could she be expected to keep her child alive for more than a day? There was no way, none, that this was going to work out.

Hawke approached her and apprehensively placed his hand on her stomach, which thankfully for the moment remained flat.

"Am I really going to be a father?" He asked. His voice was heavy with something Isabela had never heard form him before; fear.

Something stirred in Isabela; something she couldn't quite identify. She felt an overwhelming amount of love for her unborn child, and towards the man who had put it there. The two had an unspoken agreement that they never spoke their feelings out loud, it was enough for the both of them that they remained in each others company and each were content to leave things at that. But now Isabela looked at Hawke and what she felt could not be put into any other words. She placed her hand over his and gave him a small smile.

"Yes, Hawke. You're going to be a father."

Her pregnancy had not been easy and during labor it was clear that their child had inherited Hawke's unusually large head, but once she had held their son in her arms for the first time, she knew that she had made the right decision and there was nothing in this world that would be able to take her son away from her. They had appropriately named their new born son Raedar, and he had lived up to his name. He was constantly stealing cookies from the kitchen, or jewelry from some of the more wealthy visitors to Skyhold. But it was hard to discipline a child who gave the stolen cookies to a young child of a soldier who was recently killed in combat, or presented the lonely old widow with a string of pearls. With his mother's knack for adventure and trouble and his father's generous spirit, the result was a child who was both a delight and a strain on his parents.

"I swear, he is proving to be your child more and more everyday." Isabela scoffed one day after once again giving their son a lecture on the consequences of stealing from one of the Montilyet sisters.

"Oh, now he's _my _son." Hawke shot back. "But when he is being adorable he is _your _son."

"Where do you think he gets these wild ideas of 'steal from the rich, give to the poor'? Even a blind nug could see that has your influence written all over it."

"_My _influence? Who was a self proclaimed pirate queen before she was tamed by the devilishly handsome Champion of Kirkwall?"

"Tamed is it? Meet me in the sparring ring and well see who still possess control of their...daggers."

Anyone who was not familiar with these two souls would be shocked that such a pairing could have survived for so long. But anyone who knew them knew that they were perfect for each other and while they rarely (if ever) spoke their true feelings out loud, their constant bickering was just their way of showing affection. It said that the other person was fighting with, and more importantly fighting for.

But all of the fight seemed to have left Isabela for the moment, and as she sat in her son's room in the dark, she wondered what her younger self would say to her if she could see her now.

"You call yourself a pirate? What pirate sits and lets others steal from her? You managed to acquire the best treasure that you could ever imagine and you sit here and mourn like an old widow while someone runs away with what is rightfully yours. Grab a drink, grab a sword and go find the bastards that dared to steal from you."

Hawke entered the room and paused at the door frame. Isabela didn't look up, she was barely keeping it together as it was and she could not handle to see the normally carefree Hawke with such a dead, empty look in his normally bright eyes.

"They've done a sweep of the entire castle." Hawke said, his voice heavy. "There's no trace of the children or any clues as to who might have done this."

Isabela gave a stiff nod but remained silent. She had expected as much.

Hawke crossed the room and knelt down in front of Isabela. "Cullen is issuing a full scale investigation. Everyone is to be interrogated; soldiers, maids, even the gardeners."

"An investigation? My son is missing and the only solution being brought to light is a bloody investigation?"

Isabela felt something inside her snap. She rose to her feet and crossed the room without a word to Hawke. She stormed down the hallway to their quarters and ripped open the doors to the wardrobe so violently that she was sure they would rip off the hinges. She rummaged around her belongings, throwing things out of the way to get to what she needed. She sighed in frustration as she failed to find what she was looking for and turned around only to find Hawke standing there with her two prized daggers held out in front of him. The hilts were made of solid gold and were made to fit Isabela specifically by a master in Kirkwall, and the blades were made of the strongest viridium that even dwarven blacksmiths would be pleased with.

"Looking for these?"

Isabela found herself both incredulous and grateful that this man once again proved that he knew her too well. She reached her hand out and took the daggers, feeling more at peace as she felt the weight in her hands. She twirled them around in her hands, proving that she was still a deadly force when she needed to be. And right now, she needed to be.

"The others are prepared to leave and day break." Hawke said as he lifted his own greatsword and rested the heavy blade on his shoulders.

Isabela raised her eyebrows. "Others? What about the fruitless investigation that Cullen is planning to waste his time on?"

A shadow of a smile crossed Hawke's mouth but it was gone as soon as it had appeared. "I said that was Cullen's idea. I did not say everyone was supportive. Not everyone was content to sit by and do nothing."

"Least of all me." Josephine entered the room, her hand resting on her ever growing stomach. "I will not sit by while our children were taken from us in our own home. As soon as a call for action was announced I was the first one to suggest we take matters into our own hands."

"You?" Asked Isabela. "The queen of tact and diplomacy and lady 'the pen is mightier than the sword'?"

"Diplomacy will not bring my daughter back."

"Nor mine." Leliana said as she entered the room to join them.

"This was not a random act." Josephine said grimly. "Someone targeted our children specifically to get our attention. Who that is remains to be seen, but that is a matter for another time."

"The only thing that matters right now is finding them and bringing them home." Leliana chimed in. "Once we have done that then we can deal with whoever has done this. And Maker help me, I will return from the void itself to see them pay."

"We leave at daybreak." Hawke repeated. "Josephine will stay and assist Cullen with the investigation."

"I will also call upon those who owe us numerous favors and ask for their assistance in this matter. If nothing else we can at least have eyes and ears open in different parts of Thedas and hopefully that will bear fruit."

A loud commotion could be heard from the main hall and hurried footsteps echoed in the hall. Cullen burst into the room and his eyes rested on Leliana.

"You will need to see this."


	4. Chapter 4

Leliana followed Cullen into the throne room and the scene before her was not something she had seen since the Landsmeet during the Blight. The mob of people who had assembled were currently shouting and seemed to be trying to push their way to the front of the room where two soldiers stood on either side of a man who shackled at his hands and feet. Several guards were stationed at the front of the podium and seemed to be having trouble keeping the mob from overtaking them and swarming the prisoner.

"Put that crossbow away Dwarf!" Came the voice of one of Cullen's first in command. A man by the name of Gabranth.

"Sure thing, Kid." Varric replied aiming Bianca directly at the heart of the prisoner. "Just as soon as Bianca sends this bastard straight to hell."

"Varric, don't be an arse!" Came Sera's voice as she aimed her own longbow at the man. "Let me do it!"

"Both of you cool it!" Iron Bull roared as he used his entire body to shove them backwards, causing those behind them to retreat as well. "Let the boss handle him!"

"Yes, think of how angry he will be if you deny him the right to skin this man himself." Dorian said as he strolled to the front of the crowd. "However, he only needs to be alive. Not recognizable!" Dorian casually flicked his wrist and a large fireball formed from thin air and shot directly at the man. The massive flame turned to ice just inches from the man's face and shattered with a loud crash right at his feet.

"That is not your decision Tevinter!" Vivienne said stepping in front of him.

"What is going on here?" Leliana asked baffled at the scene that was taking place before her. Cullen did not answer but beckoned for her to follow him as he began to push his way through the crowd. Lelian followed closely confused at what this was all about. As she reached the front of the crowd she felt her heart sink for the second time in just a few hours. The man being held was one of her own, one of her most trusted men. His name was Athellion and Leliana considered him to be one of her best agents. He was a good man, always doing his duties without complaint and Leliana had never found a reason to not trust this man.

"Enough!" A voice roared over the crowd. Rasler stepped through the crowd and onto the stage in front of the prisoner, Josephine following close behind him. The commotion in the hall slowly began to die down and Leliana had to once again admire the way Rasler could command a crowd by merely his presence.

"Commander." Rasler said turning his attention to Cullen. "This man has been brought before us by your command. Please, tell us what is the meaning of this impromptu trial?"

Cullen stepped forward, rubbing the back of neck as he always did when he was strained. "My Lord, this man was caught sending messages to the one we believe to be responsible for the events this night. Our agents intercepted one of the messages and we acted immediately." He handed a small piece of parchment to Rasler who read it in silence. His expression remained unreadable but his left hand curled into a fist as he read the message. He looked over his shoulder at Athellion and seemed to be having an internal battle inside himself on rather to rip the man's heart out now or later.

"Leliana." Rasler said without taking his eyes off of Athellion. Leliana climbed the steps and took the message from his outstretched hand. Her eyes read the hastily written letter and she felt her blood begin to boil.

_It is done,_

_targets successfully acquired_

_in route to rendezvous point_

_boy struggled, bit agent_

_may be infected_

Leliana read the note three more times to make sure that she had not misinterpreted anything. She turned the attention to Athellion and a hatred she had never before felt swelled up within her.

"He is one of your men?" Came Rasler's voice next to her. She looked at him and searched his eyes for some hint of blame, some accusation, any sort of sign that he thought this was somehow her fault. But she found none, only pain and more strongly at the moment: anger.

"Yes." She said in a voice that was barely a whisper.

Rasler gave a stiff nod and turned his attention back to Athellion. "I find myself in a difficult situation. As one of the injured parties, I am tempted to tear your head off myself, which unfortunately for you, falls well within my rights. However, I will not be your judge this night."

He looked at Leliana who gave him a short nod.

"Your fate lies with the one who is perhaps the one you wounded the most. She trusted you and you repaid her with betrayal, and Maker have mercy on you, I do not envy your fate." He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze and went to stand next to Josephine placing a protective hand over her stomach and gently placing a kiss on her forehead.

Leliana stood frozen, unsure of how to proceed. This man had sealed his fate, his life would end tonight. But she was now facing her own internal battle. Should she kill this man on the spot and lose any hope of gaining information from him? Or should he be interrogated and hope that he had the humanity left to give them something, anything, that could lead her back to her daughter?

A loud noise disrupted the silence of the hall causing everyone to jump. It took a moment for Leliana to realize what was happening, and to her shock (and horror) she realized that the man was laughing. A sick, sadistic sound that filled the hall and echoed in her ears. This man was actually cackling. A small scuffle broke out in the front of the crowd forcing Leliana to take her eyes off of the scene before her.

Hawke and Isabela were fighting tooth and nail to get to Athellion, who continued to laugh maniacally. Aedan and Dorian were struggling to hold Isabela back and it took the combined strength of Cullen, Gabranth, and two other soldiers to keep Hawke away from the crazed man. She looked into the faces of her friends; also parents who had just lost their child. She knew that they would both call for the man's immediate execution, not waste time with an interrogation. Rasler had placed this decision on her, but it was not simply her decision to make; she knew that whatever she decided would affected them as well. She glanced over at her closest friend Josephine who currently had her head buried in her husband's shoulder. Rasler held her tightly to him, and the normally composed man seemed to be having a hard time holding it together for his wife. Her eye caught Aedan's as he struggled to hold Isabela back, and he gave her that reassuring nod that meant he would support whatever decision she made.

But what about the others? These children were well loved by all those in attendance, that much was clear from the overwhelming response. They had shared all of their children's precious moments with them, and she knew that many of them would fight a war to bring them back.

"I was dead before this ever started." Came a soft voice from behind her. Leliana turned around to see Cole cautiously inching his way towards the prisoner. "If I refused, she killed me. If I was caught, you kill me."

"Who is '_she_'?" Leliana asked trying not to lose control.

"A woman. You know her, she knows you. She has been sitting in silence, waiting, watching. She wants to hurt you, break you."

"Marjolaine." Leliana said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes. And no. She has others. Others who you have hurt, who they have hurt." Cole pointed to Hawke and Isabela, then to Rasler and Josephine. "Others who would see you suffer."

"Where are they?" Hawke roared.

Cole searched Athellion's eyes and was silent for several agonizing seconds.

"You will never find them."

Leliana felt her heart stop. No, that was not true. This man was simply thinking what he wanted Cole to say. What he wanted us to hear. It couldn't be true, she refused to believe it, for the minute she gave up hope, that was when she would be truly broken. Anger such as she had never known rose up within her, and she suddenly wished for nothing more than this man to die.

"Inquisitor?"

Rasler turned his attention to her awaiting her decision.

"I want this man's head."

"So be it." Came his grim response.

The soldiers guarding Athellion grabbed him by the arms and began forcefully shoving him down the stairs through the crowd that was roaring their approval at this decision. They led him out through the main hall through the courtyard to the executioner's block, the mob following close behind them. They forced Athellion to his knees, shoving him roughly in the back, forcing his neck to the small wooden block that had sealed the fate of many other condemned souls before him. Rasler stepped onto the block carrying the massive sword that would serve as this man's cause of death. He gripped the handle so tightly in his hand that the knuckles on his fingers had gone white. He took one step toward the man when a loud voice caused him to stop in his tracks.

Iron Bull climbed the stairs to the small stage and stepped up to Rasler putting his head close to his ear.

"Boss, let me do it."

Rasler said nothing but gave his friend a quizzical look.

"I promised those kids from the time they first drew breath that I would protect them. That nothing would happen to them as long as I was around. I failed them."

"Bull, you are no more at fault than the rest of us." Rasler replied softly.

"I gave them my word. You know what that means to me. I need to be the one to do this or my life will be as forfeit as this bastard's." His voice held a tone that Rasler had never heard before, and he silently held out the sword to the Qunari.

"Nah, I don't need that." Bull said, turning on his heel and striding towards the man who for the first time showed signs of fear.

Rasler decided that he would rather not watch the scene that was about to be played out and turned his head. The screams that filled the courtyard had never been heard inside the walls of Skyhold before, and many of the residents would hear it in their dreams for many years to come.


	5. Chapter 5

**To my loyal readers:**

**I sincerely apologize for how long it has been and how inconsistent I have been. I have been deployed for the better part of a year and I have just not been able to do what I would like. I have since returned home and hope that you all continue to take these journeys with me. I appreciate all of you for sticking with me.**

* * *

The rain was coming down quite heavy, causing the already treacherous path to become even more dangerous. The horses whinnied as lightening flashed and thunder boomed around them. A half dozen men did their best to pull the terrified horses through the ankle deep mud, all the while trying to keep their own footing. Curses and shouts of anger echoed in the night, making it impossible to pick out any one voice. A whip cracked and the horses once again expressed their displeasure.

In the middle of this chaotic and disorganized group was a large cage attached to a massive cart being pulled behind the uncooperative horses. Three small figures huddled in the middle on this makeshift prison, sitting close together trying to gather what little warmth they could against the frigid air. The largest of these figures sat in the middle, arms wrapped protectively around the smallest figure who had been clinging to her since they began their terrifying ordeal.

Aria Trevelyan peeked out from under the hood of her cloak at the chaos happening around her, trying once again to make sense of what had occurred since her parents had sent her to bed just a few hours ago. She did not recognize her captors, and it was impossible to tell who was behind it as the accents of the shouts ranged from Orlesian to Antivan. No doubt these were nothing more than mercenaries doing the dirty work of someone who held a very deep grudge.

But against who?

Aria wracked her brain trying to make the pieces fit together. She was still yet a child whose only offense was skipping cleaning her teeth between meals. Her fellow captives were even younger than she and she could not imagine who would want to harm a child as small and innocent as Ember Cousland who was small for her age and had the temperament of a timid rabbit. Raedar Hawke was a handful to be sure, but it was hard to stay mad at a boy who was constantly causing destruction for the greater good. Nothing about this made any sense to her. She pulled Ember close to her, though rather it was for her own comfort or the younger girl's she couldn't say for sure.

Lightening flashed in the sky illuminating a hooded figure in a dark cloak. Their hood was pulled low over their face making it impossible to make out any facial features, though Aria guessed the stranger must be female based on the way their clothes clung to their frame. A loud crack of thunder echoed in the night making the trio jump and Ember to bury her face in Aria's cloak. A cruel laughter reached their ears, the high pitch affirming Aria's suspicions that this was indeed a female. The stranger approached the cage and gripped the slick iron bars.

"What's the matter little Imp?" The stranger said addressing the now trembling form of Ember. "Surely the daughter of such a revered hero isn't afraid of a little rain."

"Leave her alone." Raedar shouted, his small voice shaking even as he tried to be brave.

The hooded figure turned her attention to the small boy. "Ah, you must be the one who tried to bite the finger off one of my men." Raedar bared his teeth, silently threatening that this stranger would meet the same fate if she were to venture too close. The figure laughed again, amused by the spirit of this small child.

"Keep it up boy and we will have you de-fanged."

Raedar closed his mouth but continued to stare daggers at the woman.

"Considering who your fathers are I would have expected a bit more fight out of you. Had I known what an easy task this would be I would have cut these buffoons pay in half."

"My father will never allow you to get away with this." Aria spoke up, her voice ringing with a confidence she did not feel. "He will come for us."

"Oh my dear girl, don't you get it yet? That is precisely what I want, and when he comes I will make sure the Maker Himself cannot save him this time. Too much time has passed, and he _will _be made to answer for his crimes. As will yours," she pointed to Ember who once again buried her face into Aria's cloak.

"And _especially _yours." She said pointing to Raedar. "You are nothing more than bait to lure your fathers here. And when they come, Fereldan will finally be rid of these false heroes they have far too long idolized."

The figure turned to leave, letting her parting words hang heavily over the now confused children.

"What do you want?" Aria said, her voice now shaking.

The figure paused and once again turned to face them. She raised her hands and slowly lowered her hood that had thus far kept her face hidden. Aria was surprised to see a young woman who seemed to be only a few years older than she. Her dark straw colored hair that fell just below her shoulders clung to her rain soaked forehead. A long thin scar ran from the bridge of her nose along the length of her left cheek stopping just before her jawline, the only flaw in her otherwise attractive face. But the most distinguishing feature on this woman was not the disfigurement lining her face, but rather her eyes. They were a bright shade of purple, the likes of which Aria had never seen before, giving her the impression that this was not a natural occurrence. They appeared to be almost glossy, usually seen on those who had been blinded further adding to their uniqueness. Had this been any other situation, Aria would have asked to hear the story of how she had acquired eyes such as these.

"What do _I_ want?" The woman repeated. "You think it is just I who has a desire to see your father suffer? No, dear girl. There are many of us who fail to see your fathers in the same light that the rest of Ferelden does. There are others, other who have lost everything while your father gained everything. I am just one of many, the one who was sent to fetch your entitled, privileged selves. And we all want the same thing. "

She pulled the hood back over her head, once again hiding her face. Though Aria could have sworn she could still see her mysterious eyes.

"What we want is revenge."

* * *

**I apologize for such a short chapter after such a long hiatus. This is something I love to do in my spare time and that has been lacking as of late. Life has a way of making other plans for me and I once again apologize and thank you for the support. **


	6. Chapter 6

Aedan stood in the darkness of his daughter's empty room gazing out of the massive window that overlooked the mountains outside of the keep. His faithful mabari Mathias lay on Ember's empty bed his eyes drooping sadly, whimpering occasionally to vocalize his sadness at the absence of the tiny human he had kept watch over for so long. Aedan looked back at his oldest friend sadly, unable to offer anything comforting to say as he was certain there was no comfort to be found.

He and the other parents had forged a plan to leave the keep at daybreak and pursue the captors as the first sign of light. Their plans however had changed with the events of the previous night. Leliana had been broken after discovering the news that one of her most trusted men had been involved in the abduction of the children, and while she did not outwardly express it, Aedan knew her well enough to know she was blaming herself for the disappearance of the children. She had locked herself up in the rookery and refused to see or speak to anyone, including Aedan. While the action had pained him, he understood the need to solitude and had since retreated to his daughter's bedroom to collect his thoughts away from the sympathetic stares of those in the keep.

_Marjolaine._

Cole had read Athellion's thoughts and exposed her to be the one behind all of this. Aedan had had his doubts, not trusting the man who had torn his family apart. But his instincts told him that the condemned man spoke the truth. But he said that there were others as well, others who sought revenge against him. Not just him, Hawke and Rasler Trevelyan as well. They had no doubt each made their own enemies during their travels, but try as he might Aedan could not for the life of him think who had the means and resources to accomplish something of this nature. There was no doubt Majorlaine was behind this, she was the only one with the skills and knowledge to follow through with such a plan. In addition to all of her skills she knew Leliana inside and out giving her the advantage and upper hand.

Aedan's hands curled into fists and before he could stop himself he hit the door of the nearby wardrobe so hard the splinters in the wood cracked loudly, echoing in the small room. He pulled his bloody hand away from the damaged wood stretching his fingers.

"Am I interrupting? What, did the Inquistion use all of the practice dummies so you are trying to improvise?"

Aedan turned at the familiar voice.

"Alistair." Aedan said feeling somewhat guilty. In all of the chaos it had completely slipped his mind that his closest friend would be arriving today.

Alistair entered the room, stopping to scratch Mathias behind the ears. The hound perked up slightly at seeing Alistair as the two had developed a strange bond during their travels. Alistair even claimed he could understand the dog's barks to a point.

"Not quite the greeting I was expecting from you. You usually outdo yourself in your efforts to embarrass me whenever I visit. My personal favorite is the time you paid those elven girls fifty sovereigns each to pretend to swoon and faint when I walked by."

"I apologize Alistair, there has been-"

Alistair held up a hand cutting him off. "I know." His voice held a seriousness that Aedan had only ever heard once before. "Cullen told me as soon as I arrived. Aedan, I am truly..."His voice trailed off, unsure of how to finish the sentence.

Aedan nodded his head in understanding. It was one of the traits Alistair most appreciated about his friend; his ability to hear him even when he said nothing at all.

"How is Leliana?"

Aedan sighed. "She..." He ran his fingers trough his hair in frustration. "She had locked herself up and refuses to see anyone. She refuses food, she refuses to talk to anyone including me. I understand her need to be alone, but I feel as if I am losing her too and I can't..." Aedan felt his eyes welling up with tears. "I failed them Alistair. I swore I would protect them, keep them safe. I promised that to my baby girl since the time Leliana carried her, and I let her down, I failed. Just like I failed at Highever."

Alistair stepped forward and placed his hands on Aedan's shoulders. "Aedan, in all my years I have never met a better man. You go above and beyond when it is asked of you and you have never abandoned anyone in their hour of need. You are a much wiser man than I and a better father than I could ever hope to be. You did not fail, because in order to fail you will have to have first given up. And it is not within you to give up, even when the odds are stacked against you. I know you better than you know yourself, and I know what you are capable of. You will find her, and you will have all of Ferelden's forces behind you. You are not alone."

Aedan embraced his closest friend and took a steadying breath. "When did you become so wise?" Aedan managed to joke.

"When you spend most of your time in the company of diplomats and scribes you pick up a few things." Alistair said with his usual jolly voice. "Mostly I just put words together and hope they sound sensible."

Out in the corridor Alistair's son Duncan had been closely listening in on every word. Silently he turned on his heel, a plan having already formed in his mind before he reached the end of the long stone hallway.


End file.
